Is Your Cash Flow Ready for the Post-Pandemic Era?

With the announcement of COVID-19 vaccines, many people are eager to get “back to normal.” Businesses, on the other hand, have had to make several adjustments over the past year, and focusing on the future hasn’t been a big part of their strategies. However, whether “normal” comes a few months from now or a year down the road, cash flow will determine whether businesses will be able to thrive and grow.

Banks and Businesses Are Loan-Averse

Even though demand is high in all sectors, lenders are gunshy about approving loans for businesses. They feel the marketplace is too risky. To adjust for this, lenders are placing as much risk on borrowers as possible by raising credit and collateral requirements and lowering loan amounts. But this is a two-way street. Businesses are not too keen on the idea of taking on debt just as they are trying to get on their feet, so they are exploring alternative financing options that will not immediately place them in the red before they start generating revenue in the post-pandemic economy. This means cutting unnecessary expenses, bringing previously outsources functions in-house, finding ways to boost revenue, and figuring out how to expedite payments from customers after sales are made.

Cash Flow Is Key

The pandemic forced a number of businesses to focus on the here and now, in part because the virus doesn’t operate on a schedule. In a sense, what businesses have been going through has become its own version of “normal.” The major downside is that the economic turbulence accompanying the pandemic has business owners thinking in the short-term. But whether your business is trying to cover overhead and make payroll this week, or if you are laying the groundwork for post-pandemic growth, cash flow is essential.

Cash Flow and Planning

Businesses need to optimize cash flow during the pandemic and beyond to remain successful. Healthy cash flow means businesses can cover expenses and still build up capital reserves so they have a competitive edge once the pandemic is over. Right now, many businesses are operating invoice to invoice. Unfortunately, waiting on payments for services or products rendered can leave businesses with negative cash flow for a month or longer at a stretch. The pattern of staggered payments can prevent businesses from planning for anything beyond just treading water. One of the biggest pain points for businesses right now is paintaining positive cash flow. Even if sales are high, it does not guarantee payments will come rushing in, due to staggered invoice schedules.

Fortunately, there is a solution. Invoice factoring optimizes cash flow for businesses both in the here and now, and for the future. Instead of waiting 30 days or longer to receive payments, factoring from Single Point Capital eliminates the delay entirely. We convert unpaid invoices to cash within a single day, giving your business fast access to revenue while boosting cash flow so you can plan for this week, next year, and beyond the pandemic. To learn more about our factoring services for businesses, contact the team at Single Point Capital.